(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Elijah Cohen turns music into art. The 16-year-old from Northbrook has turned a pandemic activity into Eli's Vinyl, his business, where Cohen sells old records that have been transformed into works of art.
“I’ve always had a love for music and vinyl records. I have a record player, and I’ve had many, and I would play records.”
Cohen said the old records are a canvas, and his goal is to create images with paint and patterns that match the music.
“During quarantine, I struggled with some depression, and I was really isolating myself a lot,” Cohen said. “I found myself not really doing the things that made me happier before, so I decided I’m just going to try this out.”
His parents encouraged Cohen to turn his hobby into a business. He sells his creations through an online store, which allows him to turn a record that was an old favorite into something new.
“When I first got orders, I just put my every second into making sure they were perfect because I still didn’t see it as something that would bring other people joy, which was my only goal and still is,” he said.
Cohen said he’s finding a new purpose for records that simply can’t be played any more.
“I try to find the records that are unplayable, so that I can give them a new art form, which is for your eyes — instead of your ears,” he said.
Eli’s Vinyl, Made in Chicago.
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